66Tim Cooney SP

Player Updates

1402848934

Tim Cooney passed over for start

by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

The Cardinals announced Sunday pitcher Carlos Martinez, and not Tim Cooney, will start Monday against the Mets. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch initially speculated Cooney would be the most likely replacement for Adam Wainwright, who will miss at least one start due to an elbow injury.

Cardinals starting pitcher Tim Cooney seems like the most likely candidate to be recalled from Triple-A Memphis to start Monday against the Mets in place of the injured Adam Wainwright, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Cooney would have to be added to the 40-man roster, but it shouldn't be a problem because the current 40-man roster stands at 39 players.

The Cardinals have a few possibilities for Saturday's open rotation spot, and general manager John Mozeliak named a few of them Tuesday.

Mozeliak told MLB.com Jaime Garcia and Tim Cooney are both candidates to take the mound Saturday against the Braves. Garcia is working his way back to full strength following a shoulder injury, and has been pitching at Triple-A Memphis on a rehab assignment, where Cooney is also working.

If Garcia still needs more rehab time, Cooney could make his major-league debut. The 23-year-old is 4-2 in eight starts at Triple-A, with a 2.94 ERA in 49 innings of work.

The Cardinals are not considered moving pitcher Carlos Martinez from the bullpen to the rotation, despite losing Joe Kelly to a hamstring injury that landed him on the disabled list Thursday, according to MLB.com.

"You'd be looking at stretching him out just to slow him back down again," Matheny said. "This is one of those scenarios where we just don't know how long it's going to be [for Kelly]. It's not set in stone, and I think you take that risk of pulling [Martinez] out, getting him going just to slow him back down if things [with Kelly] progress quickly."

According to the report, the team prefers to pick a starter from the Triple-A squad in Memphis, rather than move Carlos Martinez into a starting role for a few spot starts. Tyler Lyons and Tim Cooney are both mentioned as possible options for the spot.

Martinez has a 1.86 ERA in 9 2/3 innings of the bullpen, and has yet to throw more than 31 pitches in any outing.